


My Pay Is Justice

by DawnsEternalLight



Category: Batman (Comics), DCU (Comics)
Genre: Bonding, Dev plays a prank on Bruce, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Humor, Kiran Devabhaktuni - Freeform, Pranks, and It's pretty funny, other author's original character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-21
Updated: 2016-11-21
Packaged: 2018-09-01 06:13:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8612404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DawnsEternalLight/pseuds/DawnsEternalLight
Summary: Sometimes a joke can be taken too far. This time? It was taken just far enough. When Dev decides to get Bruce a present he's not entirely sure how his friend (and boss) will take it. (Inspired by Audreycritter's Developmental Milestones)





	

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Developmental Milestones](https://archiveofourown.org/works/8034538) by [audreycritter](https://archiveofourown.org/users/audreycritter/pseuds/audreycritter). 



> While discussing Developmental Milestones with Audreycritter I mentioned that Bruce's line, "My Pay Is Justice" needed to be on a t-shirt and a story needed to be written. Somehow she convinced me to write the story. 
> 
> Thanks so much to Audreycritter for the permission to use her amazing character Dev. I loved writing him.

Dev hummed to himself casting a sidelong glance at the computer to make sure the box he’d put there was still in place. Because who really knew what might happen to it in this cave. From the Waynes to Damian’s assortment of pets the universe had plenty of options at its disposal to disrupt his plan. That was only counting the house’s current occupants. There were a billion other possibilities in this crazy word he’d stepped into.

He grinned at the box, not that he’d ever want to step out of it. It was too brilliant. Even with the danger and the terror that often came with the job Dev wouldn’t trade it for the world. He turned back to the samples he’d been working on.

“Shite.” He muttered, his ‘glance’ had taken longer than he’d anticipated and one of the samples had been exposed too long. He left it, taking care of the other two before rolling his chair back over to the table to clean up the ruined sample.

“Rough day?” The voice came from behind him and Dev startled.

The beaker he’d been holding slipped out of his hand as Dev’s head jerked up. He fumbled for the glass object once, twice, then snagged it by its lip. “Bloody hell, Timothy! Don’t sneak up on me like that!” He snapped spinning his chair to glare at his friend.

Timothy stepped forward and leaned over on the desk next to him. He eyed Dev as he set the beaker down. “What’s up? You’re not usually this jumpy.”

“Sod off. I very well am when it comes to your bloody family sneaking up on me. I’ve told you all to lay off that.” He hadn’t been expecting anyone yet. Certainly not Timothy. It might be a weekend but he’d still not expected the boy back for a while yet.

Timothy was grinning at him and Dev rolled his eyes a smile coming to his face as well. “Alright then. What’s the emergency? You don’t come down here at this time of day if there’s not one.” He eyed his best friend.

The boy straightened and gave Dev a wide eyed look filled with false hurt. “Can’t a guy just want to visit his friend?”

Dev returned his look with a raised eyebrow. “You’d text for that. Or drag me off the moment I surfaced into the manor. Now tell me what’ve you done?” He looked over the boy more closely as he asked the question. He didn’t note any obvious signs of distress, but that didn’t mean they weren’t there.

Timothy drug one of the chairs out from the desk next to him and flopped into it throwing a hand over his face. “It’s too embarrassing. I don’t even know why I came down here in the first place.”

“Might I remind you that you once got a concussion from trying to recreate an internet video? This cannot possibly be more embarrassing than that.” Dev told him.

The boy’s hand flew from his face and he sat up. “It wasn’t just an internet video. It was the iconic banana peel slip, Dev! Everyone was doing it.”

“Yes and you missed a week of patrol because of it. Now tell me or I’ll order a month of bed rest for insanity.”

Timothy’s eyes widened at him. “You wouldn’t.”

“You know very well that I would.” Dev told him attempting to keep the smile out of his voice.

“Why did we even hire you?” Tim groaned, defeated.

“Because I’m the only one who’ll put up with your bloody appearing acts, now tell me.” Dev grinned.

Timothy pressed his lips together and nodded before holding out his right hand. Dev realized that he’d hardly used it the entire conversation. “Don’t laugh,” He said. “But I think I’ve sprained my thumb.”

Dev’s eyebrows rose to meet his hairline. “And how did you manage that?” He asked taking the boy’s hand in his own. Already he could see the slight swelling on the thumb.

“Extreme gaming.” Timothy winced as Dev bent his thumb and straightened it.

Dev pressed his lips together in an attempt to keep the laughter in his chest from escaping. He released Timothy’s hand looked up at him. “Well you’ve certainly sprained it. Which game was it? Battlefront, Titanfall, maybe Bioshock?”

“Mario Kart with Dick.” Timothy mumbled, and this time Dev couldn’t stop the laughter. “You’re laughing and I asked you not to.” The boy crossed his arms.

“Cor, Timothy.” He said through chuckles. “I’m not even sure how you managed that.”

“You can’t honestly tell me you’ve never sprained a thumb while gaming before, not with all that you do.” Timothy challenged.

Dev worked to get his laughter under control taking in a deep breath. “Honestly? I’ve never even come close. I’m too careful with these.” He grinned holding up his hands and wiggling his fingers. “What were the odds? Pink hair for a week? No coffee? It has to have been something for you to get that excited.”

“Bragging rights. We were only playing because someone missed our game time.” Timothy eyed him as Dev stood to collect and ice pack and a small elastic bandage from the supplies.

Dev bent the ice pack to start the cooling process and sat back down in front of him. “Hand.” He said and Timothy obliged. Dev wrapped the bandage around the swollen thumb and pressed the cool ice pack into the boy’s hand.

“No more than ten minutes an hour with ice.” He instructed. “And I’m sorry for being gone, Mate. I’ve been busy.”

Timothy pressed the pack to his thumb and frowned unbelieving at Dev. “Busy.” He said the word like he was testing it for lies. “Busy with what?”

Testing samples he’d tested before. Organizing drawers that didn’t need it. Checking paperwork for errors. Planning a silly trick on a good friend. Nothing important nor crucial. Yet somehow it felt important and crucial. He opened his mouth to answer and heard instead the sound of the elevator running.

“You’ll see.” He flashed Timothy a grin.

“I’ll see? See what? Dev what do you have planned?” Timothy shifted on his chair, leaning to look over Dev’s workspace. He frowned when he found nothing out of the ordinary.

“Timothy, mate. Have a little patience.” It was said with fun but Dev had butterflies in his stomach. There was a seed of doubt about how his little plan might go down and he was trying not to think about it.

The elevator stopped and Wayne stepped out. He glanced at them once and nodded before returning his attention to the tablet he was reading on. He made it just past Dev and Timothy and stopped turning. “That’s not a sprain I hope?”

“Nice to see you too Bruce. So good to know you’re worried about my health and not just my ability to say hold a grappling hook or throw a batarang.” Tim grinned at him.

Wayne ignored him and glanced at Dev who shrugged. “Don’t look at me. I can’t tell you what you want to hear.”

“I’ll be fine. It’s just my thumb, and a tiny sprain at that.” Timothy told him.

Wayne frowned at him and sighed. “Don’t push it then.” He continued on to the computer his tablet back in his attention.

Timothy turned back to Dev. “Now what’s this about me having to wait? Are you testing that energy drink I was asking you about?”

Dev was only half paying attention to his friend. The other half of his attention was on Wayne. The man had set his tablet down and picked up the package on the table.

“That ‘energy’ drink you proposed would kill an elephant, Timothy. Do not drink it.” Dev said. “You haven’t mixed any yet have you?”

“No. You don’t happen to know how I could fix it, do you?” The answer held a glumness to it that made Dev grin despite the new flutter of butterflies in his stomach. Wayne had slit open the end of the package and was pulling the small box out.

“I’m not the one you should be asking if you want to come up with the next greatest energy drink. Just the one you should ask if it’ll kill you or not.” Dev turned his attention fully on his friend.

There was a surprised splutter from the computer and the sound of the chair scraping away from it. “Tim.” There was a warning in Wayne’s tone. “What is this?”

Timothy turned in his chair to find Wayne holding a grey t-shirt up for them to see. Printed in bold letters on the front were the words: My Pay is Justice. Above them was the silhouette of Batman’s glaring cowl. Dev glanced up with as mild of curiosity as he could manage.

“I have no idea.” Timothy answered. “I wish I did though. Whoever made it was a genius.”

Wayne folded the shirt and set it on top of the box with a frown. “Don’t lie. You know everything in this house.”

The boy held his hands in front of him defensibly, the icepack slipping into his lap. “I know most things. It’s Alfred that knows everything.”

He was right about that. Alfie did know everything. Dev wouldn’t be surprised if his friend hadn’t figured out what Dev himself had been doing with the package that morning. “Timothy Mate, if you know something you should tell him.” He said happy to keep the suspicion off himself for the moment. He wanted to see how long it would take Wayne to remember their conversation, if he did at all.

Timothy spun on him with sudden realization and Dev knew he was busted. It was fine, he didn’t mind. He’d have outed himself soon enough anyway. “You. This is what had you down here all day.”

“Dev?” Wayne asked, not to him but to Timothy.

His friend nodded. “He missed our gaming session. For this.” Timothy groaned. “Dev, if you’d told me we could have done this so much better. Mugs, mouse pads, sweatpants.”

Dev couldn’t stop his grin now. “Sorry, Timothy. It’s a joke between me and your Da.”

Wayne frowned. “A joke?”

“Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten, Sweetheart. If you have I might have to check your head again.” Dev winked at him.

Wayne’s confusion lasted only a moment more before his face split into a grin. “I can’t wear this you know.” He said hefting it from the desk to look at it again.

“Oh yes you can. I worked bloody hard on that. You’ll wear it at least once, and you’ll wear it in public.” Dev told him. The good nature with which Bruce was taking the joke had eased Dev’s slight worries. Only after he’d wrapped the box earlier had the idea that this joke might be a bit distasteful hit him.

The topic of a paycheck had been tense enough the first time it had come up between them. Dev wasn’t sure bringing that back up again would have the results he wanted. He’d finally decided to take it. If Wayne thought the joke was in bad taste he’d apologize, but he wasn’t going to miss a bit of fun over a little fear. Now that the joke had been sprung he was immensely happy he’d decided to bring it.

“Worked hard?” Wayne raised an eyebrow.

“Designed it and everything. I had a bugger of a time picking out a colour.” Dev crossed his arms. “Had to find one you’d wear but wasn’t boring old white.”

“White is not boring.” Wayne countered. “You wear it all the time.”

“Lab coats don’t count. Try it on.”

Timothy perked up at this. “Yes. Bruce. You have to. Try it.” He was fumbling with his phone, turning on its camera function and had the look of a kid in a candy store.

Wayne pursed his lips at the shirt before releasing a sigh. “It can’t hurt to try it on.” He relented. He dropped it back on the table and tugged his own button up off before pulling the new shirt on. “Satisfied?”

“Completely.” Tim had stood and was angling his phone. “Pose for me, B.”

“Hold on a second, Timothy. I’ve got one more surprise.” Dev said stopping him mid photo-shoot.

The boy spun on him. “Sweatpants?” he guessed.

“Better.” Dev told him unbuttoning his own shirt and feeling just the smallest bit like he imagined Kent did when changing into his Superman uniform. There was an excitement buzzing through his veins, that he found he enjoyed.

He pulled his shirt open to reveal the matching brother to Wayne’s. He hadn’t been able to resist printing a second one. In fact he’d seriously considered printing one for every member of the family and only held off to bounce the idea off Timothy later.

“This.” Timothy said. “Is going everywhere. I hope you printed more of those, or saved the template because I’m getting Christmas card ideas.”

Wayne was grinning at him and motioned for Dev to join him. “Come on, Darling. Well take a picture together for Tim.”

“And then.” Dev said standing. “We take it out on the town for your public display.”

**Author's Note:**

> If you're curious where in Developmental Milestones Bruce and Dev talk about paychecks and Bruce actually utters the words, 'my pay is justice' go check out chapter 37.


End file.
